Device fob the suspension of vehicles



9 1 J. VANCOPPENOLLE 23,401

" DEVICE FOR THE SUSPENSION OF VEHICLES Original Filed July 19,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l rnvsrvrrox new vmgoppsnlo LE BY ofo'um ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1951 J. IANCOPPENOLLE DEVICE FOR THE SUSPENSION OF VEHICLES Original Filed July 19, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet'Z 7N VENTOA E L L m EN ..N wax u N N WM my Y ms Reissued Aug. 21, 1951 23,401 nsvros FOR THE SUSPENSTON 0F VEHICLES Jean Vancoppenolle, Caen, France; vested in the Attorney General of the United States Original No. 2,353,603, dated July 11, 1944, Serial No. 285,256,'July 19, 1939; Application for reissue October 10, 1947, Serial No. 779,091. In France August 5, 1938 Y I e 1 Claim. (01. 2s'1 19) The invention relates to the system of suspension for vehicles, in particular for automobile vehicles, according to which, to the usual suspension which comprises a resilient device and a braking device, is added an auxiliary suspension which introduces an additional resilient resistance effect that is greater as the main suspension is farther away from its position of equilibrium.

The invention has for its object a device for such an auxiliary suspension, which is characterized by a multiple leaf spring, the deformations of which are reduced relatively to those of the main suspension.

Under these conditions, the auxiliary suspension may be obtained by means of a single multiple leaf spring or of a single set of multiple leaf springs.

In a number of cases, a spring is used wherein the leaves are arranged equally on either side of the main leaf or a set of such springs is used; the auxiliary suspension acts in this case in the same manner for the deformations of the main suspension in both directions from the position of equilibrium. 7

In other cases, the leaves are less in number, or even completely eliminated, on one of the sides of the main leaf, so that the auxiliary suspension acts with a force which is variable according to the direction of the deformation of the suspension from its position of equilibrium.

A particularly simple manner of obtaining the 1 reduction of the deformations of the auxiliary suspension consists in attaching same at a point of a lever interposed between the suspended part and the unsuspended part of the vehicle.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of a device according to the invention will be described by way of examples. Reference willbe had to the accompanying diagrammatical drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a first main form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a modification;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another modifica- (1) A multiple leaf spring, I, the main leaf,- 2, of which is rectilinear and is associated on.

both sides with leaves of progressively reduced length;

(2) Arigid lever, 5;

(3) A shackle, 3, connecting the end of the main leaf, 2, to the lever, 5, in a determinedpoint 4, to ensure the demultiplication of said spring.-

The shackle may be replaced by a ball and socket joint if said spring does not work in the same plane as the rigid 1ever..

Referring to Fig. 1, the auxiliary suspension according to the invention comprises a multiple leaf spring I, the leaves of which are arranged on both sides of a main leaf 2 which is attached,

at one of its ends, to the end'3 of a shackle 3. Said shackle is pivoted, by its other end 4, at

an intermediate point of a lever 5 interposed vof a half-collar 8.

For a vehicle, one or a plurality of leaf springs I may be provided, arranged as just described. This auxiliary suspension adds its effects to those of the main suspension of the vehicle, which main suspension is retained.

When there is adeformation of the main suspension, producing a relative movement between the unsuspended part and the suspended part of the vehicle, the ends of the leaves of the spring which are clamped by the half-collar 8 participate in the movement of the suspended part,

whereas the end of the main leaf 2 attached to the shackle 3 undergoes substantially the movement of the intermediate point 4 of the lever 5.

:If the movements are referred to the suspended part of the vehicle considered as a reference system, it will be seen that the deformations of the main suspension are materialized by the movement of the point 6 about the axis of rota- .tion I which is in this case fixed, whereas the deformation of the auxiliary suspension is materialized by the movement of the point 4, the amplitude of which is reduced relatively to the movement of the point 6 in the ratio of the distances of the points 4 and 8 from the axis 1.

The small amplitude of the movements of the point of attachment 3 of the main leaf 2 enables a spring to be used in which the leaves are arranged on both sides of the main leaf, without untimely breaks occurring.

n the other hand, the auxiliary suspension acts simultaneously whatever be the direction and the amplitude of the deformation of the main suspension.

Fig. 2 shows a modification in the case in which the suspended part ID of the vehicle is in planes extending in the same direction, as hitherto described, or in plane's extending in dif-f ferent directions. Fig. 3 shows a modification in which said planes are transverse. The levers 5 carry shackles l2 between the ends [3 and I3 of which is attached a mainQl'eaf 14. On both sides ofi saictxleai are. placedlsecondary leavesv [5, so. as toform' asses-called. complete? spring. The cenpart of the. spring I'l thus formed is. rigidly secured, for example by means of the bracket l6; to the suspended part of the vehicle.

second main form or modification shown iInF-"ig. 4, theisuspended. part of the vehicleisprovided witha cross-piece: l8 to which are pivote'd', on both sideszof: the. axis x-m, bymeans for example of-so-cal1ed Silentbloc devices [9 and 20, supporting arms-17': amazz. At the ends 23 and 2410f saids'upporting: arms are pivoted arms 25 andf26 which carry at their ends shackles 21 and 26 respectively. To the shackles 21 and 28 are-attached the ends of a leaf spring 29 forming the 'iiesilienvdevice oi the main suspension and the central part of which is fixed, by means of theclamps-M and 3|, to thecross-piece [8.

Atintermediate points 32 and 33 of the arms 2 i and 22 isattached the main leaf 34 of a spring 35 'which forms the'auxiliary suspension according" to the invention" and the central part I ofwhichis fixed tothe suspended part of the vehicle, which is represented by the cross-piece I8, by means of the clamps 30 and 3| andof the spaci118 block 36'.

In themodification of-Fig. 5, which shows a diagrammatical transverse section of a vehicle,-

the suspended part of same is represented by a shell or cradle 56 connected to the unsuspended part including the wheels 51 and 58, by'means of torsion bars 59 and-"6i! which form the main sus-- pension. Said torsion bars are connected'to the wheels 57- and-58 by means of pivoting arms 6|" an'd' 62; The connection of the wheels 57 and: 58

tothe shell 56 is completed by levers 63 and 64:.

which: are. pivoted at. their. ends, respectively. to

of the vehicle.

example. the front wheel train, is equipped with a.

leaf spring 65-.which is fixed v.atits'central. parton theishell ifi by-means ofv clamps 6 6' and the ends.

61 and 68V of the main leaf 69: of which. are

mounted,. by means. of. preferably adjustable shackles lfland I i, at intermediate points. ll-and 13- of the levers. 6'3 andllil.

In. the modification according to Fig. 6, the, arrangementis similar; however, the main suspension is-formed by a leaf spring 14.

Inrthemodlfication of Fig. 7, which is similar,

the front cross-piece 15 which is secured to the chassis forming the suspended part of the vehicle is connected to the wheels 16 and 71 by means of lower arms 18 and 79 and of upper arms 80 and BI; and helical springs 82 and 83, with shockabsorbers, are interposed between the crossbiece 1B" and the lower arms 18 and 19 and form the main suspension. The auxiliary suspension according to the invention is formed by a leaf spring 84 whichis fixed at its central part on the cross-piece 15 and the ends 85 and 86 of the main leaf 8! of: which are mounted, with the interposition of shackles B8 and 89 which are preferably adjustable, at intermediate points of the arms 80 and 8|.

7 Inthe modification of Fig. 8, the main suspension comprises atransverse leaf spring 90 interposed between the suspended part SI of the vehicle and the wheel 92. A triangular member 93 completes the connection between the wheel 92 andv theisu'spen'ded part 9|. At an intermediate point M -Oflthe member 93 is mounted, with the interposition of a shackle-95, theend of themain leaf 96 of'a half leaf-spring 91 which is fixed on the other hand by means of the collar 98 in-the suspended part of the vehicle, said spring 9-1" forming the auxiliary suspension.

I claim:

In a suspension system for vehicles having; a chassis embodying a frame: a main suspension device interposed betweensaid frame and the unsuspended part of saidvehicle and comprising primary elastic means fixed to a portion of. said" frame; a pair of levers spaced at both sides transversely with respect'to the vehicle, the ends of each lever being articulated to a point of'said unsuspended part and to a point of said frame:

posed'of'a carrier plate against whichare applied on both. sides twov bundles of leaves; two rigid shackles, each of which isarticulated to the end. 4

of saidmultipleleaf spring and to one of said;

levers in points situated between the above said' articulations of saidlevers and in such a mannerthat, when the main suspension device suffers;-

deformation from its position of equilibrium, the auxiliary suspension device suffers a deformation.

smaller than that of the main suspension,

JEAN VAN C OPPENOLLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file. of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,171,469 Boxan: Aug. 29, 19,39

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 733,617 France July 12,1932 787,762 France July 16-, 1935 819,092 France June28, 1937 386,285 Germany Dec. 18, 1928 449,455 Great Britain June 26, 1936 347,031 Italy Mar. 15,1937 

